The invention relates to a tooth brush which consists of a bristle part which can be exchanged when required and a holder with special additional functions.
EP-A-0 173 50 describes an electrical tooth brush having a brush head which can be driven in a circular motion. The brush head is releasably secured to the drive and tiltably mounted.
A tooth brush with a twice angled handle and a bristle head is known from WO-A-95/12333. The bristle head, which either forms a separate component or is united in one piece with the handle is tiltable about an axis which stands perpendicular both to the longitudinal direction of the handle and also to the direction in which the bristles of the bristle head extend.
WO-A-95/12333 discloses a tooth brush with a handle and a movable bristle head. The bristle head can be latched to the handle by means of connection means in such a way that is freely rotatable both in and opposite to the clockwise sense and can also simultaneously oscillate about an axis extending perpendicular to the handle. The connection means comprise a pin which has a ring-like formation at its end face or a mushroom-like spigot.
Exchangeable bristle parts are known in many rigid embodiments in the trade and, amongst other things, through the German patent 44 22 073.8 C1.
Furthermore, there are tooth brushes with a flexibly hinged kinked handle. These are known in the documents EP 0 613 636 A1, EP 0 251 705 B1, EP 0 462 509A1, EP 0 336 641 and EP 0 371 293 and EP 0 648 448; A1.
All the tooth brushes listed here have more or less the same problem. The bristle head deflects away from the active surface at the human set of teeth as a result of the bending moment. The consequence is that the bristles arranged towards the center of the holder receive more pressure one-sidedly and uncontrollably. The cleaning action for the rear molars is less due to lack of contact pressure. The bristles at the center of the holder in contrast receive too much pressure and injure the gum and wear the tooth enamel more than is necessary.
Some embodiments of EP 0 613 636 A1 admittedly have improved possibilities through elastomeric hinging. A desired contact is, however, not hereby possible. An environmentally friendly exchange of the bristle head is not shown here.
The present invention shows possibilities for the exchangeability of the bristle head with value being placed on an environmentally friendly possibility of material separation. The pivotal deflection and resilient deflection can be changed by an elastic connecting member, which is manufactured separately from the exchangeable bristle part.
A labeling possibility, a design as a travel tooth brush, the mounting of the exchangeable accessory in the holder and the brush as a depot are shown.
Labeling possibilities with. adhesively attachable name labels presents the trade with a large problem of availability, in particular when the customer not only wishes to select his name but also his own color (see EP 0 114 41).
In accordance with the invention the bristle is proposed as a depot carrier for solid substances which can fight fungi, bacteria and germs, but which can also be a carrier for minerals and trace elements, such as, for example, fluoride and calcium. In addition, it is explained how the bristle part can be removed again when worn without one being able to break a fingernail.
Particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the independent claims.